Improved analysis of TCRγδ variable region expression in humans

Advancements in γδT cell engineering: paving the way for enhanced cancer immunotherapy

Comprising only 1-10% of the circulating T cell population, γδT cells play a pivotal role in cancer immunotherapy due to their unique amalgamation of innate and adaptive immune features. These cells can secrete cytokines, including interferon-γ (IFN-γ) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and can directly eliminate tumor cells through mechanisms like Fas/FasL and antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC). Unlike conventional αβT cells, γδT cells can target a wide variety of cancer cells independently of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) presentation and function as antigen-presenting cells (APCs). Their ability of recognizing antigens in a non-MHC restricted manner makes them an ideal candidate for allogeneic immunotherapy. Additionally, γδT cells exhibit specific tissue tropism, and rapid responsiveness upon reaching cellular targets, indicating a high level of cellular precision and adaptability. Despite these capabilities, the therapeutic potential of γδT cells has been hindered by some limitations, including their restricted abundance, unsatisfactory expansion, limited persistence, and complex biology and plasticity. To address these issues, gene-engineering strategies like the use of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T therapy, T cell receptor (TCR) gene transfer, and the combination with γδT cell engagers are being explored. This review will outline the progress in various engineering strategies, discuss their implications and challenges that lie ahead, and the future directions for engineered γδT cells in both monotherapy and combination immunotherapy.

Effective γδ T-cell clinical therapies: current limitations and future perspectives for cancer immunotherapy

γδ T cells are a unique subset of T lymphocytes, exhibiting features of both innate and adaptive immune cells and are involved with cancer immunosurveillance. They present an attractive alternative to conventional T cell-based immunotherapy due, in large part, to their lack of major histocompatibility (MHC) restriction and ability to secrete high levels of cytokines with well-known anti-tumour functions. To date, clinical trials using γδ T cell-based immunotherapy for a range of haematological and solid cancers have yielded limited success compared with in vitro studies. This inability to translate the efficacy of γδ T-cell therapies from preclinical to clinical trials is attributed to a combination of several factors, e.g. γδ T-cell agonists that are commonly used to stimulate populations of these cells have limited cellular uptake yet rely on intracellular mechanisms; administered γδ T cells display low levels of tumour-infiltration; and there is a gap in the understanding of γδ T-cell inhibitory receptors. This review explores the discrepancy between γδ T-cell clinical and preclinical performance and offers viable avenues to overcome these obstacles. Using more direct γδ T-cell agonists, encapsulating these agonists into lipid nanocarriers to improve their pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic profiles and the use of combination therapies to overcome checkpoint inhibition and T-cell exhaustion are ways to bridge the gap between preclinical and clinical success. Given the ability to overcome these limitations, the development of a more targeted γδ T-cell agonist-checkpoint blockade combination therapy has the potential for success in clinical trials which has to date remained elusive.

Analysis of Butyrophilin-Mediated Activation of γδ T Cells from Human Spleen

There is considerable interest in therapeutically engaging human γδ T cells. However, due to the unique TCRs of human γδ T cells, studies from animal models have provided limited directly applicable insights, and human γδ T cells from key immunological tissues remain poorly characterized. In this study, we investigated γδ T cells from human spleen tissue. Compared to blood, where Vδ2+Vγ9+ T cells are the dominant subset, splenic γδ T cells included a variety of TCR types, with Vδ1+ T cells typically being the most frequent. Intracellular cytokine staining revealed that IFN-γ was produced by a substantial fraction of splenic γδ T cells, IL-17A by a small fraction, and IL-4 was minimal. Primary splenic γδ T cells frequently expressed NKG2D (NK group 2 member D) and CD16, whereas expression of DNAM-1 (DNAX accessory molecule 1), CD28, PD-1, TIGIT, and CD94 varied according to subset, and there was generally little expression of natural cytotoxicity receptors, TIM-3, LAG-3, or killer Ig-like receptors. In vitro expansion was associated with marked changes in expression of these activating and inhibitory receptors. Analysis of functional responses of spleen-derived Vδ2+Vγ9+, Vδ1+Vγ9+, and Vδ1+Vγ9- T cell lines to recombinant butyrophilin BTN2A1 and BTN3A1 demonstrated that both Vδ2+Vγ9+ and Vδ1+Vγ9+ T cells were capable of responding to the extracellular domain of BTN2A1, whereas the addition of BTN3A1 only markedly enhanced the responses of Vδ2+Vγ9+ T cells. Conversely, Vδ1+Vγ9+ T cells appeared more responsive than Vδ2+Vγ9+ T cells to TCR-independent NKG2D stimulation. Thus, despite shared recognition of BTN2A1, differential effects of BTN3A1 and coreceptors may segregate target cell responses of Vδ2+Vγ9+ and Vδ1+Vγ9+ T cells.

The capability of heterogeneous γδ T cells in cancer treatment

γδ T cells, a specialized subset of T lymphocytes, have garnered significant attention within the realm of cancer immunotherapy. Operating at the nexus between adaptive and innate immunological paradigms, these cells showcase a profound tumor discernment repertoire, hinting at novel immunotherapeutic strategies. Significantly, these cells possess the capability to directly identify and eliminate tumor cells without reliance on HLA-antigen presentation. Furthermore, γδ T cells have the faculty to present tumor antigens to αβ T cells, amplifying their anti-tumoral efficacy.Within the diverse and heterogeneous subpopulations of γδ T cells, distinct immune functionalities emerge, manifesting either anti-tumor or pro-tumor roles within the tumor microenvironment. Grasping and strategically harnessing these heterogeneous γδ T cell cohorts is pivotal to their integration in tumor-specific immunotherapeutic modalities. The aim of this review is to describe the heterogeneity of the γδ T cell lineage and the functional plasticity it generates in the treatment of malignant tumors. This review endeavors to elucidate the intricate heterogeneity inherent to the γδ T cell lineage, the consequential functional dynamics in combating malignancies, the latest advancements from clinical trials, and the evolving landscape of γδ T cell-based oncological interventions, while addressing the challenges impeding the field.

The way of interaction between Vγ9Vδ2 T cells and tumor cells

Immunotherapy has been a promising, emerging treatment for various cancers. Gamma delta (γδ) T cells own a T cell receptor composed of γ- and δ- chain and act as crucial players in the anti-tumor immune effect. Currently, Vγ9Vδ2 T cells, the predominate γδ T cell subset in human peripheral blood, has been shown to exert multiple biological functions. In addition, a growing body of evidence notes that Vγ9Vδ2 T cells interact with tumor cells in many ways, such as TCR-mediated nonpeptidic-phosphorylated phosphoantigens (pAgs) recognization, NKG2D/NKG2D ligand (NKG2DL) pathway, Fas-FasL axis and antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) as well as exosome. More importantly, clinical studies with Vγ9Vδ2 T cells in cancers have propelled several clinical applications to investigate their safety and efficacy. Herein, this review summarized the underlying ways and mechanisms of interplay cancer cells and Vγ9Vδ2 T cells, which may help us to generate new strategies for tumor immunotherapy in the future.

Phenotypic and functional analysis of γδ T cells in the pathogenesis of human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 infection

The human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) is the cause of serious malignant and inflammatory diseases, including adult T-cell leukemia and lymphoma and tropical spastic paraparesis. The potential protective role of γδ T cells in HTLV-1 infection remains unclear. Here, demonstrate that there is a decrease in the amount of Vγ9Vδ2 T cells in patients with HTLV-1, especially in those with HTLV-1 associated pathologies. This suggests that γδ T cells could be involved in controlling the virus. Indeed, we found that Vγ9Vδ2 T cells, expanded from non-infected individuals, can kill cells expressing the viral proteins HBZ and Tax and this phenotype is reversed in the presence of mevastatin. Cytotoxicity by Vγ9Vδ2 T cells was not associated with an increase of INF-γ production. In sharp contrast, killing by NK cells was reduced by Tax expression. Thus, our study provides initial evidence for a potential protective role of Vγ9Vδ2 T cells against HTLV-1 infection. Therapeutic exploitation of these insights is feasible with current technologies of T-cell therapies and could provide novel tools to prevent and treat HTLV-1-associated malignancies and neurologic complications.

γδ T Cells for Leukemia Immunotherapy: New and Expanding Trends

Recently, many discoveries have elucidated the cellular and molecular diversity in the leukemic microenvironment and improved our knowledge regarding their complex nature. This has allowed the development of new therapeutic strategies against leukemia. Advances in biotechnology and the current understanding of T cell-engineering have led to new approaches in this fight, thus improving cell-mediated immune response against cancer. However, most of the investigations focus only on conventional cytotoxic cells, while ignoring the potential of unconventional T cells that until now have been little studied. γδ T cells are a unique lymphocyte subpopulation that has an extensive repertoire of tumor sensing and may have new immunotherapeutic applications in a wide range of tumors. The ability to respond regardless of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) expression, the secretion of antitumor mediators and high functional plasticity are hallmarks of γδ T cells, and are ones that make them a promising alternative in the field of cell therapy. Despite this situation, in particular cases, the leukemic microenvironment can adopt strategies to circumvent the antitumor response of these lymphocytes, causing their exhaustion or polarization to a tumor-promoting phenotype. Intervening in this crosstalk can improve their capabilities and clinical applications and can make them key components in new therapeutic antileukemic approaches. In this review, we highlight several characteristics of γδ T cells and their interactions in leukemia. Furthermore, we explore strategies for maximizing their antitumor functions, aiming to illustrate the findings destined for a better mobilization of γδ T cells against the tumor. Finally, we outline our perspectives on their therapeutic applicability and indicate outstanding issues for future basic and clinical leukemia research, in the hope of contributing to the advancement of studies on γδ T cells in cancer immunotherapy.

Unconventional T cells - New players in antifungal immunity

Life-threatening invasive fungal diseases (IFD) are increasing in incidence, especially in immunocompromised patients and successful resolution of IFD requires a variety of different immune cells. With the limited repertoire of available antifungal drugs there is a need for more effective therapeutic strategies. This review interrogates the evidence on the human immune response to the main pathogens driving IFD, with a focus on the role of unconventional lymphocytes e.g. natural killer (NK) cells, gamma/delta (γδ) T cells, mucosal associated invariant T (MAIT) cells, invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells and innate lymphoid cells (ILC). Recent discoveries and new insights into the roles of these novel lymphocyte groups in antifungal immunity will be discussed, and we will explore how an improved understanding of antifungal action by lymphocytes can inform efforts to improve antifungal treatment options.

γδ T Cells: The Ideal Tool for Cancer Immunotherapy

γδ T cells have recently gained considerable attention as an attractive tool for cancer adoptive immunotherapy due to their potent anti-tumor activity and unique role in immunosurveillance. The remarkable success of engineered T cells for the treatment of hematological malignancies has revolutionized the field of adoptive cell immunotherapy. Accordingly, major efforts are underway to translate this exciting technology to the treatment of solid tumors and the development of allogeneic therapies. The unique features of γδ T cells, including their major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-independent anti-cancer activity, tissue tropism, and multivalent response against a broad spectrum of the tumors, render them ideal for designing universal 'third-party' cell products, with the potential to overcome the challenges of allogeneic cell therapy. In this review, we describe the crucial role of γδ T cells in anti-tumor immunosurveillance and we summarize the different approaches used for the ex vivo and in vivo expansion of γδ T cells suitable for the development of novel strategies for cancer therapy. We further discuss the different transduction strategies aiming at redirecting or improving the function of γδ T cells, as well as, the considerations for the clinical applications.

γδ T-cell Receptors Derived from Breast Cancer-Infiltrating T Lymphocytes Mediate Antitumor Reactivity

γδ T cells in human solid tumors remain poorly defined. Here, we describe molecular and functional analyses of T-cell receptors (TCR) from tumor-infiltrating γδ T lymphocytes (γδ TIL) that were in direct contact with tumor cells in breast cancer lesions from archival material. We observed that the majority of γδ TILs harbored a proinflammatory phenotype and only a minority associated with the expression of IL17. We characterized TCRγ or TCRδ chains of γδ TILs and observed a higher proportion of Vδ2⁺ T cells compared with other tumor types. By reconstructing matched Vδ2^- TCRγ and TCRδ pairs derived from single-cell sequencing, our data suggest that γδ TILs could be active against breast cancer and other tumor types. The reactivity pattern against tumor cells depended on both the TCRγ and TCRδ chains and was independent of additional costimulation through other innate immune receptors. We conclude that γδ TILs can mediate tumor reactivity through their individual γδ TCR pairs and that engineered T cells expressing TCRγ and δ chains derived from γδ TILs display potent antitumor reactivity against different cancer cell types and, thus, may be a valuable tool for engineering immune cells for adoptive cell therapies.

γδ T cells in cancer: a small population of lymphocytes with big implications

γδ T cells are a small population of mostly tissue-resident lymphocytes, with both innate and adaptive properties. These unique features make them particularly attractive candidates for the development of new cellular therapy targeted against tumor development. Nevertheless, γδ T cells may play dual roles in cancer, promoting cancer development on the one hand, while participating in antitumor immunity on the other hand. In mice, γδ T-cell subsets preferentially produce IL-17 or IFN-γ. While antitumor functions of murine γδ T cells can be attributed to IFN-γ+ γδ T cells, recent studies have implicated IL-17+ γδ T cells in tumor growth and metastasis. However, in humans, IL-17-producing γδ T cells are rare and most studies have attributed a protective role to γδ T cells against cancer. In this review, we will present the current knowledge and most recent findings on γδ T-cell functions in mouse models of tumor development and human cancers. We will also discuss their potential as cellular immunotherapy against cancer.

In memoriam: Paul Fisch (1959–2018) our dear friend, pioneer of γδ T cell research, esteemed scientist, and dedicated clinician

In the wake of the sudden passing of Professor Paul Fisch, colleagues, collaborators and friends shared their thoughts on Paul's significant contributions to γδ T cell research and the scientific community at large.